Warm Whispers
by MoonlightGardenias
Summary: Grissom and Sara in Paris. Pre-s10.


**Author's Note:** This story actually takes place pre-season ten and has been in the recesses of my mind since then. I read some spoilers about Grissom and Sara being married, and so this lovely little piece began forming. It's evolved a few times since then, but eventually it got to a point where I didn't want to take anything away but I didn't want to add anything that felt like filler either. I eventually decided to leave it as it was and let the words speak for themselves. The title is taken from the Missy Higgins song by the same name, from her album "On a Clear Night".

A huge thank you goes out to **Keegan Elizabeth** for all of her amazing help on finishing this, and also for simply putting up with me talking about it for weeks before ever actually completing what I had written down. It probably wouldn't be half as good without your mad betaing skills. :)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own CSI, or the characters of Grissom and Sara. It makes me sad sometimes, but it's still the truth.

* * *

The soft glow of dusk filtered in through the blinds as he planted a kiss on her shoulder. "Have I said yet how incredibly grateful I am to be back in civilization?"

Sara smiled and laughed quietly. "You're just glad for the shower and bed." She inched closer to him before pressing her lips to his. "I have to agree with you, however."

Grissom breathed in deep, inhaling the scent of her shampoo and the air filtering in from outside, and he relished in the quiet of the moment with her.

After hours on the plane, almost another tracking down their luggage and then another spent trying to find their hotel, he was glad they finally had a chance to lay and relax. One of his first steps had been to use the shower, though he hadn't planned on her joining him. Regardless, they had both showered, which was followed by a round twisting in the sheets. It didn't escape him that they'd barely spoken since arriving in Paris but he found he actually liked it that way, because it wasn't often you found a person you could lay in silence with and not feel the need to make a sound.

"We should probably get something to eat."

Sara opened her mouth to disagree, but was interrupted by the sound of her own stomach growling. Frustrated, she kissed his shoulder before shaking her head. "I don't feel like leaving this bed."

Grissom chuckled against the crown of her head before pulling her closer. "I could always call room service."

"That," Sara replied, slowly snaking an arm around his waist while one of her legs tangled with his, "sounds like an excellent idea."

* * *

It was some time later that Grissom walked out to the balcony of their room to find Sara staring at the city skyline. She'd found one of the plush robes supplied by the hotel and had wrapped herself in it, and was standing against the railing, her eyes taking in lit up buildings and the hint of a few stars above.

He exhaled slowly, taking a few slow steps before moving in and wrapping his arms loosely around her waist.

Sara smiled softly and placed her hands on top of his, leaning into him. "It's a beautiful night."

"That it is, sweetheart, but we probably shouldn't be standing out here for too long. I wouldn't want you to catch a cold." Grissom knew the words were useless the moment he said them, because even though Sara had heard him, her eyes were still absorbing the sights and sounds of a still busy city.

Her fingers traced steady lines across his, and the back of her head rested comfortably against his shoulder, but her mind was clearly on the city below.

"We can do some exploring tomorrow if you'd like. I know of a few places I believe you would enjoy a bit better during the day. Simply seeing the city from this vantage point is not enough to truly experience it."

Sara laughed a little before tilting her head to capture his lips in a kiss. Pulling back slowly, she caught some of the lights from the city below reflecting in his eyes. Though nothing was definitive or recognizable, it all seemed to be there, reflecting with him. "Did you ever think it was possible to find everything you wanted in one place? I don't—" Sara paused and turned to face him. The words were coming from the recesses of her mind, or at least somewhere she'd been storing them for quite a while, but now they pleaded with her to be set free. "I know it sounds a little ridiculous to say something like that, and I'm not talking about here as in Paris. I just—"

He wasn't quite sure what she was getting at, but it didn't stop him from reaching a hand out and linking it with hers in reassurance. It was one of those moments where you knew it was important, regardless of what happened, and Grissom felt more than willing to listen.

Sara's hand reached out to pluck a loose string on Grissom's own robe before her eyes returned to his. "I'm talking about us, Gil. We aren't physically a place, but I find it incredible that within a few short weeks we've managed to reconnect on a level that's been missing for a while now. The way that I feel about you is completely different than what I've ever felt for anyone else." She wrinkled her nose. The words sounded strange even to her ears. "I'm sorry."

Grissom cradled her shoulders as her head fell forward onto his. "You don't need to apologize to me."

She rested her head against his shoulder and they stood like that for a moment, neither speaking nor doing much in the way of movement. There was something she had read once; something about knowing you were with the person you were meant to be with if you could be in complete silence with them and not feel compelled to fill it. It sounded a little contrived at the time she read it, but the more Sara thought the more she realized it was true. A smile graced her features as she turned her face against him and breathed in deep.

_This_, Sara realized as she felt Grissom's hand slide slowly from her head and not stopping until he had reached the small of her back, was what she had been missing in the time apart from him.

The night felt cool around them as she took a step back, her face backlit by lights down below, but what he saw was simply her. Quietly, Grissom closed the space between them and kissed her. It was an action he'd grown to think of as something so natural. That very thought was what brought him to his next.

In retrospect, Sara probably would say she should have seen the next moment coming. His eyes lit up with something that hadn't always been there, but that had been occurring more and more frequently. A shiver ran through her as she felt his thumb trace slowly along the line of her jaw.

"What?"

"Marry me." The words fell so easily from his lips, like a breath almost; short and yet filled with so much importance.

He waited. _One. Two. Three_ seconds_._

Grissom quickly lost track of how much time had passed, because suddenly it was if it didn't matter and all that did was what she said next. Outside he was all calm, however inside, he was precariously close to the proverbial edge and there wasn't much stopping him from toppling over. It felt as if every important thing that he'd ever done where Sara was concerned had been compressed into the small space of their hotel room balcony. The air was heavy, but it was somehow in a good way.

Sara hoped the shock wasn't visible on her face. In actuality she wasn't all that surprised, and she really probably should have seen the possibility coming up again. They'd come so far the first time, but so much had changed since then that she wasn't sure the two moments could even be compared.

A deep breath in, then a longer and steadier one out.

Her hands came up to frame either side of his face. There were so many ways she could respond, aside from the one she was practically screaming inside. To anyone else it probably wouldn't have made sense, because they were two completely different people. But it was when they were together that things started to become clear, like two sides of the same coin or some other trivial comparison.

Instead of responding to any of the ideas in her head, she kissed him; slowly at first, until her fingers wound into his hair, wanting to make the moment last.

"Yes."

His arms were looped lazily around her waist. With his forehead leaning against hers, he tugged her closer. There really wasn't any other way to end the day, Grissom thought, and even with the excitement of what was still to come he knew all good things were worth waiting for. Sara, he mused as she leaned closer and swayed in sync with his own movements, was definitely worth waiting for.


End file.
